Sub Saharan Africa

Basic, limited medical facilities are available in some parts of Nigeria.

Malaria and polio are common to Nigeria and there are also regular outbreaks of cholera and measles.  In the first 11 months of 2008 there were 768 confirmed cases of polio compared with 285 cases in 2007.  The Global Polio Eradication Initiative reports that Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States have been classified as “very high risk” for polio.  An outbreak of cerebro-spinal meningitis occurred in Katsina State in February 2009.

Severe, but localised flooding, has been known to occur in some parts of Nigeria during the rainy season.  This may increase the threat of water-borne diseases. You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.  If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Nigeria, you should seek immediate medical attention.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 2,400,000 adults aged 15 or over in Nigeria were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 3.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see our HIV and AIDS page.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Nigeria and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

 

For more general health information see our Travel Health page.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Nigeria have led to a small number of human fatalities.  The last fatality was in 2007.

The first confirmed case of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Nigeria was announced by the World Organisation for Animal Health on 8 February 2006.   The outbreak occurred on a commercial chicken farm at Jaji in Kaduna State.   Since then, bird flu has been detected at other farms in Kaduna and in Kano, Plateau, Katsina, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Yobe, Rivers, Benue, Anambra, Ogun, Lagos, Taraba, Jigawa, Kwara, Delta, Borno, Sokoto, Adamawa, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Kebbi and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja and surrounds).  

 

The first human case confirmed by the World Health Organisation was that of a 22-year-old Lagos woman who died on 16 January 2007.   Since the end of 2003, a number of human deaths have also occurred in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

 

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low.  However, as a precaution you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of the possibility that the Avian Influenza outbreaks could lead at some point to a human flu pandemic, if the virus mutates to a form which is easily transmissible between people.

 

British nationals living longer term in an Avian-Influenza affected region should take personal responsibility for their own safety in the event of a future pandemic, including considering their access to adequate healthcare and ensuring travel documents are up to date.

See our Avian and Pandemic Flu page for more details.